Photo gallery: WJ STAGE performs Les Misérables
Watched by two armed guards, a group of prisoners toil during the prologue. The ensuing ensemble performance was a powerfully rhythmic introduction.
Sophomore Yuri Sternberg, playing Marius, cradles dying junior Ermuun Nerguibaatar, playing Éponine. In a powerful use of dramatic irony, Marius never realized Éponine was in love with him.
Senior Harry Resnik (Marius) leads the ensemble in “One Day More.” This song is one of the two ensemble-heavy performances, the other being “Do You Hear the People Sing.” Even though the solos were so strong, the group performances clearly conveyed the unified spirit of the rebellion. “It was so fantastic being able to work with such a talented cast,” Resnik said.
Sophomore Ronan Mailhot (Javert) and freshman Kylee Solt-Linville (Fantine) listen to freshman Jacob Labbe-Moravchik (Ensemble) giving his version of events. Mailhot’s immediate and unshakeable belief that the man must be in the right conveyed one of the performance’s strongest themes: injustice. “Les Mis is such a serious show but we didn’t let that damper the rehearsal process, and I really think that was handled well by cast, crew and the adults,” sophomore Sasha Rotton said.
Freshman Abigail Freidlin (Stage crew) applies makeup to middle schooler Kenzie Leal (Ensemble) before the Friday performance. The makeup department was crucial to the success of Les Misérables, as the vast majority of the roles required some form of makeup. “Makeup is such a personal interaction because you’re obviously up close when you do it, but you also have to learn a lot about them and what they’re comfortable with. It’s a cool way to get to know people but also get to contribute to the show,” Freidlin said.
Sophomore Yuri Sternberg (Marius) hugs senior Veronica Montero (Cosette). “We had a three or four-month practice progress. It was very tough, as it took a lot of commitment and dedication because I had to miss out on a lot of school work, but overall I’m proud of my overall achievement and production,” Sternberg said.
Sophomore Nikki Mosaddegh adjusts the sound controls, a script open next to her. Les Misérables involved more microphones than STAGE had ever used before, but audio issues were relatively minimal. “I was really impressed with the way that everything ran. I thought that we were very on track and moving along at a very steady speed, which is sometimes hard, especially if we’re doing a show of this caliber,” senior Neena Tavik said.
Lucie Bale-Corouna (Madame Thenardier), senior Veronica Montero (Cosette and ensemble) and sophomore Ace Andrews-Shigaki (Ensemble) prepare for their Saturday night show. The hours before a show are always hectic, and Les Misérables’ success meant the auditorium was often packed, which added to the pressure. “Closing night…was so crowded. We filled the auditorium to the point that one of the technical directors that usually sits in the house had to stand because all the seats were filled,” sophomore Renee Rosenheim said.
Sophomore Mason Lee (Enjolras) inspires his fellow revolutionaries in “The ABC Café.” Lee was in all five performances, whereas most other roles had two actors; one for Friday and one for Saturday. “I had a really nice time. It was tiring and a huge time commitment, but it was worth it. I didn’t know I could sing that well,” Lee said.
Orchestra Director and Producer Andrea Morris reviews the music before the Friday performance as a young boy and his mother look into the pit. The orchestra consistently excelled and did a fantastic job of establishing both suspense and dramatic celebrations. “I’ll order the music scores a couple weeks after we decided the show…I’ll start trying to learn some of the specific instruments’ parts I think are hard and I’ll try to play through them so that I know how to help them,” Morris said.
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